CCA Inside/Out Tourney 2005
On Saturday, October 29, the Coastal Conservation Association of North Carolina (CCA NC) held the Inaugural Inside & Out Tournament. This tournament offered an inshore division as well as an offshore division, and 100% of the entry fees go directly to help enhance artificial reefs off the coast of NC.
Even with the forecasted strong winds and cold temperatures, the tournament attracted over 30 participants. Tournament Co-Director Roy Long was pleased with the initial turn out and said, “With the weather forecasted to be nasty, it is great to see people excited about fishing for a good cause.”
On Saturday morning there was a 20 to 25 knot wind from the north and temperatures in the 30’s. Very few ventured offshore, but those that did were rewarded with a good king mackerel bite, and as participant Troy Pate exclaimed, “all the bluefish you could ask for.”
For those who fished inshore, they were rewarded with the speckled trout bite just getting started in the Morehead area. Tales of 30 specks being caught were common by day’s end. More than a few “Carolina Inshore Slams” were recorded as multiple trout, red drum, and flounder were caught. By 4:00, the docks at Town Creek Marina, the official tournament weigh station, were alive with activity as boat after boat brought their day’s catch, as well as their release forms, to the dock.
The big winner of the tournament was Bob Niebauer, from Greensboro, and his crew: son Randy, Mike Whaley, and Will Morgan. They won top prize in the Trout category as well as the Red Drum Release category. The first place prize in the King Mackerel category went to W.F. Bulon, from Greenville.
Even with less than suitable weather conditions, the tournament raised over $5,000, of which a large portion will go towards artificial reef enhancement projects here in NC. Tournament Co-Director Jay Dail summed it up, “We really cannot thank the participants and our tournament sponsors enough. It is great to be able to come out and have a great day of fishing while helping the artificial reefs here in NC.”
The 2005 Inside & Out Tournament would like to thank all of the tournament sponsors: Grady White Boats, Star Rods, World Class Catamarans, Budweiser, NC Sportsman Magazine, Fisherman’s Post Newspaper, Morehead Marine, Town Creek Marina, Orvis, Carolina Outdoor Sportsman, Custom Marine Fabrication, Alan Woolford, Capt. Mike Wells, Private Donors, Hardcore Custom Offshore Lures, and all of the participants in this year’s event.
